Buddy Ryan, NFL Coach and Defensive Mastermind, Dies at 82

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Buddy Ryan, who coached two defenses that won Super Bowl titles and whose twin sons Rex and Rob have been successful NFL coaches, has died. He was 82.

His agent, James Solano, said Ryan died Tuesday in Kentucky. He did not give a cause.

The always outspoken Ryan was a linebackers coach for the 1968 New York Jets and coordinated the ground-breaking 46 defense for the ’85 Chicago Bears, one of the NFL’s greatest defenses. He was a head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1986-90, and for the Arizona Cardinals in 1994-95, compiling a 55-55-1 overall record.

A few years ago, Ryan attended a Cowboys-Jets game, traveling to New Jersey despite battling cancer to see then-Jets head coach Rex go against then-Dallas defensive coordinator Rob.